Abstract: The use of screening assays based on the role of human stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (“hSCD1”) in human diseases, disorders or conditions relating to serum levels of triglyceride, VLDL, HDL, LDL, total cholesterol, or production of secretions from mucous membranes, monounsaturated fatty acids, wax esters, and the like, is disclosed. Also disclosed are conventions useful in the prevention and/or treatment of such diseases.

Abstract: The use of screening assays based on the role of human stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (“hSCD1”) in human diseases, disorders or conditions relating to serum levels of triglyceride, VLDL, HDL, LDL, total cholesterol, or production of secretions from mucous membranes, monounsaturated fatty acids, wax esters, and the like, is disclosed. Also disclosed are conventions useful in the prevention and/or treatment of such diseases.

Abstract: A seat belt retractor assembly has a seat belt retractor for generating a retraction force to rewind a seat belt on a reel. A coupling device selectively couples and decouples the retractor from the reel. A tensioning device generates a tensioning force in the seat belt when in an activated state. The coupling device decouples the retractor from the reel when the tensioning device is activated.

Abstract: Methods of treating an SCD-mediated disease or condition in a mammal, preferably a human, are disclosed, wherein the methods comprise administering to a mammal in need thereof a compound of formula (I): where m, n, p, V, R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and R6 are defined herein. Pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds of formula (I) are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a recognition that an analog of ?KG can increase glucose-induced insulin secretion in vitro and in vivo in animals, particularly in mammals, and more particularly in humans and in rodents. By employing the methods of the invention, insulin secretion can be increased.

Abstract: A communication system embodying the invention has a communication channel with at least two ends, one end of the channel being connected to a transmission device with relatively limited computational capacity and an other end of the channel being connected to a computer having relatively large computational capacity. The transmission device includes a signal source node; a set of M−1 delay buffers connected in series and defining a set of M progressively delayed signal nodes, M being a positive integer, one end of the series of M delay buffers being connected to the signal source node; a set of M parallel downsampling operators connected to the M progressively delayed signal nodes; and, a parallel-to-serial converter having M parallel inputs and a single serial output, the M parallel inputs being connected to the outputs of the M parallel downsampling operators and the single serial output being coupled to the one end of the communication channel.

Abstract: A chilling sleeve is provided for insertion into a hollow cylinder, such as a control rod driving mechanism guide tube, for adjusting the temperature and therefore the diameter of the cylinder. The chilling sleeve has external inlet and outlet ports, regulated by a pump. The pump injects high pressure liquid coolant, such as liquid nitrogen into the inlet port and through channels in the body of the sleeve out to a high pressure chamber. The liquid coolant escapes the high pressure chamber via escapes holes and enters a low pressure chamber, bordered by the outer wall of the hollow cylinder. In the lower pressure chamber, the liquid coolant evaporates, which chills the adjacent outer wall of the hollow cylinder, thereby shrinking the outer wall so that the hollow cylinder can be fitted into or removed from a cylindrical hole, for example a closure head hole in a vessel head of a nuclear reactor.

Abstract: A method and system for performing speech recognition for an internet appliance using a remotely located speech recognition application. The invention includes an internet appliance that is connected through a network with either a stand-alone computer or a server computer located at the Internet Service Provider. Verbal commands directed to an internet appliance are received as analog signals and converted to digital signals. The digital signals are remotely translated into a set of instructions by a dedicated hardware device or a software program that operates a speech recognition application at either a stand-alone computer or server computer located at an Internet Service Provider in a form recognizable by the internet appliance. The internet appliance receives and executes the translated instructions.

Abstract: A forming or re-rounding machine has a pair of concentric inner and outer rings supported with a gap between the rings. The support of the rings provides for both axial and rotational movement. A can or shell having a section to be formed, or a damaged portion for re-rounding, is inserted into the gap. Hydraulic rams are mounted in a radial pattern into the outer edge of the inner ring and the inner edge of the outer ring, facing the gap. The inner and outer rings can be oriented so that the hydraulic rams in each ring can be directly opposed to the hydraulic rams in the opposing ring, or alternatively, can be offset from adjacent hydraulic rams in the opposing ring. In a vertically oriented embodiment, the forming or re-rounding machine has a pair of concentric rings suspended from a crane or I-beam support with a gap between the rings.

Abstract: A forming or re-rounding machine has opposed inner and outer hydraulic ram sets each carried in a housing with rollers. The ram set housings are movably mounted onto an I-beam frame connected by hydraulic cylinders. The frame supports a can or shell for rotation of the surface to position a region for forming or reforming between the hydraulic ram sets. Each ram set has a hydraulic cylinder for advancing a re-forming tool on either the inside or outside of the can or shell to reform the selected region. The I-beam hydraulic cylinders are allowed to compress when the can or shell is positioned for forming or reforming and help prevent flexing of the can or shell outside the selected region.

Abstract: A Virtual Server Farm (VSF) is created out of a wide scale computing fabric (“Computing Grid”) which is physically constructed once and then logically divided up into VSFs for various organizations on demand. Allocation and control of the elements in the VSF is performed by a control plane connected to all computing, networking, and storage elements in the computing grid through special control ports. The control plane is comprised of a control mechanism hierarchy that includes one or more master control process mechanisms communicatively coupled to one or more slave control process mechanisms. The one or more master control process mechanisms instruct the slave control process mechanisms to establish VSFs by selecting subsets of processing and storage resources.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus providing, controlling and managing a dynamically sized, highly scalable and available server farm are disclosed. A Virtual Server Farm (VSF) is created out of a wide scale computing fabric (“Computing Grid”) which is physically constructed once and then logically divided up into VSFs for various organizations on demand. Each organization retains independent administrative control of a VSF. A VSF is dynamically firewalled within the Computing Grid. Allocation and control of the elements in the VSF is performed by a control plane connected to all computing, networking, and storage elements in the computing grid through special control ports. The internal topology of each VSF is under control of the control plane. No physical rewiring is necessary in order to construct VSFs in many different configurations, including single-tier Web server or multi-tier Web-server, application server, database server configurations. Each tier of a multi-tier VSF (e.g.

Abstract: A method and system for facilitating the detection of DTMF tones is disclosed. The method is based on detecting two tones using a modified nonuniform discrete Fourier transform that includes a phase correction term for each DTMF tone and harmonic. The disclosed method is employed by a DTMF detector that includes a sampling module, a computation module, an analysis module, and a decode module. The sampling module samples an input signal from a communication network at a rate sufficient to avoid data loss. The sample signal is then placed through a modified DFT which is more precise than filters or analog devices, particularly those utilizing a Goertzel algorithm. The computation module implements a fast recursive algorithm for completing the necessary computations. The analysis module checks for the present of energy level peaks at the DTMF tones and their harmonics. Once a DTMF signal is verified to contain a DTMF tone, the decode module transmits the,number, letter, or symbol to an interface.

Abstract: A method and system for performing speech recognition for an internet appliance using a remotely located speech recognition application. The invention includes an internet appliance that is connected through a network with either a stand-alone computer or a server computer located at the Internet Service Provider. Verbal commands directed to an internet appliance are received as analog signals and converted to digital signals. The digital signals are remotely translated into a set of instructions by a dedicated hardware device or a software program that operates a speech recognition application at either a stand-alone computer or server computer located at an Internet Service Provider in a form recognizable by the internet appliance. The internet appliance receives and executes the translated instructions.

Abstract: A pressurizer vessel of a nuclear power plant contains a liquid and steam both of which function to maintain pressure in a reactor coolant system. A heater support assembly is disposed in an interior portion of the pressurizer vessel and receive a plurality of heaters which are matingly fitted with the heater support assembly for heating the liquid. A temperature detector is operatively connected to the heater support assembly in a structural arrangement which allows for measuring the temperature of the liquid at a plurality of preselected elevations. The temperature detector further includes temperature measuring means for measuring a plurality of temperature readings of the liquid at preselected elevations of the liquid.

Abstract: A seat belt retractor includes a spindle having belt webbing wound thereon. The spindle is supported for rotation in belt retraction and belt withdrawal directions. The spindle is biased to rotate in the belt retraction direction. A disk member is fixed to the spindle to rotate with the spindle. A rotatable drum member is adjacent the disk member. An interconnecting member is associated with the disk member and the drum member to effect rotation of the drum member with the disk member in the belt retraction direction. A selectively actuatable lock mechanism, when actuated, limits rotation of the drum member in the belt withdrawal direction to a predetermined amount of rotation and thereafter prevents rotation of the drum member in the belt withdrawal and belt retraction directions.